Fireproof construction.



ramena ernten.

ERNEST MERRICK, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T AGNES R. MERRICK, 0F

ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, TRADING UNDER THE CONSTRUCTION C0., 0F ELlZABETI-I, NEW JERSEY.

NAME OF MERRICK FIREPROOF To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, ERNEST Mannion, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, county of Union, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireprool' Construction, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates 'especially to the construction of re proof floors and ceilings, but it includes certain featuresA of construction and combinations of parts which may be used Yin other `similar fire proof constructions.

@ne of the objects of my invention is 'to provide solid metal roofs for the voids in concrete door construction. Another object is to provide either a concreteor other re proof ceiling, which formsthe bottomboundary of the aforesaid voids.

To attain these and other objects, my invention consists of the features of construction and the combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of this specification; I

Figure l is a perspective 'View ypartly broken away of one form of my improved door and ceiling-construction.

' Fig. 2 is a transverse section partly broken away of aoor construction illustrating one form of my improved wire lath ceiling.

Fig. 3., is a transverse section partly broken away illustrating another form of my improved wire lath ceiling construction. Fig. 4., is a sectional view through the top of the pan or basket lshowing the rod and staple constructions. "e

Fig. 5., is an end view, in perspective,

party broken away, Voi my solid pan or' basket, which is used to form the side and upper walls of the voids.

Fig. 6., is a plan view, 4partly broken away, illustrating'the arrangement of metal plate, staples and rods, before it is shaped into the form of. a pan or basket.

Fig. 7., is a perspective view of a staple used to secure the rods to the metal basket.

Referring to the drawings in which the same reference characters referto similar parts in the several views, A represents the ordinary two by four beams for holding Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 161,673.

`I-beams ,-D, l0 indicates the invertedpans or baskets, 1l the rods secured to the basket by staples 12. As hereinafter disclosed, these rods project on'either side beyond the 'basketlas at 13 and 13 and form supporting Patented Sept. il, Mill?. l Application led September 9, 1914, Serial No. 860,840. Renewed April 12, 1917.

legs feet to hold the basket in place so x that its lower edges will be elevated. the required distance above the temporary door.

While the pans or'baskets l0 can be formed in many ways, they are preferably constructed in the following manner:

`When the pans or baskets are to be used in the construction embodying the concrete ceiling 20 Fig'. l., ends 13 and 13 of the rods entend about two inches on either side beyond the edges of the sheet iron pans.

A plate of thin sheet iron of suit-able dimensions and preferably about five feet in length and three feet in width, is placed upon an'iron table provided with longitudinally hinged leaves. The entire width of the table including the leaves is substantially equal to the width of the plate, and the width of each leaf is substantially equal to one halfthe width of the center portion of the table. l secure across the `plate at intervals of about twelve inches,

roundsteel rods preferably in diameter by means of several, preferably four rivets to each rod which are of staple construction having a flat head arranged at the bend of the staple. The prongs 14 of the rivets embrace the rods and are bent under the plate to securely keep them in place.

I find that it is necessary to rivet the rods to the plate-in the manner described, for in the further construction of the arch, it isr necessary that there should be a play, that is; ay sliding movement between the rods and the plate. The edges of the plate arethen clamped to the leaves, Aand the plate is then bent by permitting the leaves of the table to drop down into a vertical position. One

or both ends of the plate are then folded over the end of the table in the ordinary way in which the extending ends of a paper wrapper are folded around'-apackage .in wrapping the same, `asindioated by dotted tance between the outerv edges ofzlthe slde wing is somewhat greater than the width of the back of the pan or basket, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Reiferrinr more particularly to the conf struction shown in Fig. 1., a layer of concrete to form the ceiling 2O is placed upon' the temporary Hoor tothe thickness of about two inches. The inverted pans or baskets are then set down upon this layer of concrete and the projecting ends of the rods which form supporting legs are forced through this layer of concrete so that the baskets are supported by the legs and the sheet metal sides of the baskets arel held in position upon the layer of concrete which forms the ceiling. Concrete is then filled in between the sides of the solid baskets as at 23, the side of the pans assuming a substantially perpendicular position, and over the top at 24 to the extent of about two inches. It is to be particularly noted that the i round rods are entirely embedded in'the concrete so that they will not only 'support the roof of each little opening or void, but

lwill not rust out. `yThe concrete also surrounds entirely the round rods thereby 1ocking the metal pans or baskets in place.

In the construction shown more particularly in Fig. 2., I provide as a ceiling a composite clay and wire lath structure which can be procured in open market. This clay and wire lath ceiling is composed of wire mesh, the strands of which are covered by clay molded thereupon. In forming this construction, I place the sheet or strips 21 of composite clay and wire lath upon the temporary iioor. I then plaeLthe inverted pans or baskets in position pressing the side of the baskets into 'a substantially vertical position permitting the ends of the wire rods on either side to 4enter openings in the mesh of the wire lath ceiling. When the pressure upon the side of the basket is released, the sides of the basket spring outwardly and are thereby held to the wire lath ceiling by friction due to the prewurel of the protruding ends 13 and 13 of the rods 11 on the strands of the wire lath ceiling. Concrete is thenpoured ,into the space 28 between the baskets and .over the topsof the baskets at-24 tothe. extent o'f about-twainches. The lower end of the mass of concrete 23 between the baskets percolates between the strands of tht wire lath and thereby completely surrounds the said strands or the wire lath ceilin at 25 and when set holds the wire lath ceiling in place.

Instead of using a single sheet of composite clay and wire lath ceiling, I may utilize separate sheets of galvanized wire iat-n tor each pan or basket to form. the ceiling. "n

extending from either edge place' ingposition upon the temporary' ioo'r, Strlps, of galvanized eilath 22 whlch are about two inches wi han-the distance bef tween the sides of'tlebasket when laced inI position. As in the previously escribed 'tion. -The ends 13 and 13 of the rods 12 are then inserted in the meshes'. of the galvanized wire lath" at points on either side about an inch from the edge thereof. Upon releasing the pressure from the sides of the pan or basket, the sides spring outwardly and the end of the rods engaging as they do, .the meshes of the wire lath hold it to the basket in a stretched condition as shown in Fig. 3. `The outer edges of the galvanized wire lath 22 are bent inwardly and upwardly as at 27 and 27 so that when the concrete is iilled in around the pans or baskets, the lower end of the concrete inserted between the baskets will pass through the meshes of the free ends of the wire lath at 28 and upon setting will hold the wire lath. in place.

After the concrete is set, the temporary floor and supporting beams are removed by cutting away the iron stirrups flush with the ceiling in the usual way. The ceiling may be nished by applying plaster in the Fig. l., or to the wire lath, as the composite .thisfconstructiom illustrated ,in Fig. 3., I-

construction, the sides of the basket are' clayand wire lath ceiling of Fig. 2.or to the galvanized wire lath ceiling of Fig. 3.

."Wble the exact dimensions are not essential, a .preferred construction is that in which the thickness of the concrete upon the I roofs of the-pans or baskets is substantially two inches, the distance between the side of the baskets four inches, the height of the baskets ten inches, and the width thereof sixteen inches. `The `distances between the wire rods on the baskets are twelve inches Aand the distance of the rst wire rod from the end of the basket at its bend is substantially eighteenfinches. The thickness of the concrete forming the ceiling in Fig. 1., is 'about' two inches. The length of the rods of the basket is substantially two inches with the coiicete ceiling, and materially less than thatl lith` the wire lath ceiling.

Itis to be noted that the wire lath ceiling construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3 as distinguished from the concrete construction of Fig. 1, saves great weight from the supporting beams and girders and therefore there results a saving of weight of material and consequent expense by the use of the wire lath ceiling in the construction shown by me. As a square foot of concrete two inches high weighs approximately sixteen pounds, it is easily seen-that if this dead weight can be eliminated, the beamsi and girders supporting the same can be lighter openings supported and a consequent saving of material'and ei:- pense Will result from the .use of my improved Wire lath ceiling oonstruction.-

he illustration is more or less fonventioneland my invention is not to details of construction except as particuH larly referred to in the claims.

aving now` described my invention, what' to secure by Letclaim as new, and desire ters Patent/isz l. In a .fire-proof Hoor and ceiling' construction, having between the floor surface and the ceiling surface a series of voids or at intervals by concrete partitions, said voids or openings being lined at the top and sides with sheet meterial having undercut rods o1' bars secured to said materiel and projecting bodily therefrom upon the upper surface thereof, the

lconcrete composing the floor and the partitions remaining' entirely` upon the upperA surface o f the s lieet materiel and surrounding sind rods or bars.

2. In a fire-proof floor and ceding concompletely struction, having' between the Hoor surface and the ceiling surface, a series ofrvoids or openings separated at intervals concrete' partitions, said lvoids or openings being lined et the top and sides to be limited `und State of N ew l with sheet material having' round rods or bars' secured to said material and projecting bodily there from upon the -upper surface thereof, 'the concrete composing the door and the pego; tions remaining entirely upon the upper surface of the sheet material and completely surrounding said rods or bars.

a ire proof floor. and ceiling construction heving between the floor surface and the ceilingA surface, e series of voids or open' lgs seperated et intervals by concrete partitions, seid voids or openings being lined et the top und sides with solid. sheet metal, haring rods or bers secured t ereto upon the upper surface thereof and projecting bodily therefrom ends of seid rods or bars extending beyond the edges of the. sheet metal pans or baskets a. distance subs stantielly equal to the thickness ol the oeil-v ing, the linings being held in place by means of the concrete surrounding the rods or bers. v n witness whereof I have hereunto set my hund at the borough of Manhattan, city 'erle this 8th day of Sep- .ERNEST MERECK. In presence of- IsAsnL R. RICHARDS,A JOHN J'. RANA'GAN.

tember, 1914. 

